At Hindutva leader's direction, authorities seal Jama Masjid premises in Dehradun, defying court order

What prevailed in the BJP-ruled states is not the rule of law but the diktat of right-wing Hindutva leaders, at whose behest authorities and even the police appear to function, often in disregard of court orders.

Such appeared to be the case in Thano, near Dehradun in Uttarakhand, where the local civic body sealed the premises of Jama Masjid Thano despite the court having ordered action only against a specific 20-by-40-foot portion of the mosque complex, while a right-wing leader was seen in a video directing officials during the sealing operation.

The action triggered tension in the area as members of the local Muslim community accused the administration of exceeding the scope of the court’s directive and acting under pressure from Hindutva organisations, including Bajrang Dal and other local Hindu groups.

Residents alleged that instead of restricting enforcement measures to the disputed section, officials sealed the entire mosque premises, thereby preventing access to the place of worship and its associated facilities, according to Maktoob Media.

The controversy deepened when Bhupesh Joshi, state convener of the Kali Sena, visited the mosque along with administrative officials. According to witnesses, Joshi informed mosque representative Asim Ali that the premises should be vacated by June 1 and indicated that his organisation would otherwise take matters into its own hands.

A video of the exchange, which later surfaced online, showed police personnel standing nearby while the conversation unfolded, whereas residents claimed that senior officials present at the site failed to intervene.

Community members maintained that the mosque had existed in the locality for decades and had served nearly 10 to 15 Muslim families residing in the area for almost half a century. Kasim Ali, a local resident, said the mosque had existed since 1978 and was formally registered in 2017, while a room constructed in 2023 had already been sealed by the Development Authority several months ago.

Residents further asserted that settlement records dating back to 1992 substantiated the mosque’s existence and legal status. They also rejected allegations that a madrasa was being operated from the premises.